Hearth's Warming that Almost Wasn't
by Dede42
Summary: It's Hearth's Warming Eve in Ponyville and Twilight, Sunrise, Spike, and their friends are celebrating together, and when Spike asks about the one time that Sunrise wasn't able to come to Canterlot for the holidays, Sunrise reluctantly shares the story.
1. Chapter 1: UNEXPECTED BLIZZARD

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Hearth's Warming that Almost Wasn't

A/N: (Dede42 enters the writers studio and she stares in amazement and delight at the Christmas decorations. Twilight Sparkle runs in.)

Twilight Sparkle: Dede42, I'm _so_ sorry that they decorated your studio in Christmas stuff.

Dede42: There's no need to apologize, Twilight, I think it's wonderful, and perfect given the chapter I'm posting today.

Twilight Sparkle: Oh, but why are you posting it in May anyway? Christmas and Hearth's Warming isn't until December.

Dede42: It wasn't exactly planned, but since I've started posting more then once in a single week, it just happened.

Twilight Sparkle: Oh.

Dede42: Yup, and this is an original story that I came up with during the holidays.

Twilight Sparkle: Fascinating.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER ONE: UNEXPECTED BLIZZARD**

It was wintertime in Equestria and ponies everywhere were getting ready to celebrate for it was Hearth's Warming Eve and tomorrow would be Hearth's Warming, which was when they would celebrate the union between the pegasis, the unicorns, and the Earth ponies that lead to the creation of Equestria itself.

* * *

In the library, Twilight Sparkle, Sunrise Blossom, Spike, and their friends were putting up some last-minute decorations on the Christmas tree, and they were looking forward to doing a present exchange before heading back to their respective homes for the night.

"Looking forward to spending your first Hearth's Warning Eve in Ponyville?" Sunrise Blossom asked her twin as they magically wrapped gold garland around the tree.

"I'm sure am," Twilight Sparkle replied with a grin. "How about you, Spike?"

"Absolutely," the baby dragon confirmed while doing a balancing act on the tip of his tail to place a dragon-shaped decoration on a branch of the tree. "There! Perfect!"

The twins giggled and then helped finished decorating the tree. Once the star was on top and the lights were lighted, the Mane Seven and Spike sat in a circle in front of the fireplace with mugs of hot apple cider, chatting idly about the many adventures they had that year, and sampling the raspberry chocolate fudge cupcakes provided by Pinkie Pie.

"Whoowee, I can't decide what was the craziest adventure we had this year," said Applejack, sipping her drink. "I say it's a tossup between stopping Nightmare Moon or dealin' with 'em Parasprites when they tried to eat everything in town."

"Well, I vote the Parasprites was the worst thing we dealt with," said Rarity, shivering at the memory of the puffballs that's seen so adorable until they started reproducing at an alarming rate, and had nearly wiped out Ponyville as a result.

"I'm with Rarity, it's definitely the Parasprites hoof-down," Rainbow Dash agreed, and the other ponies agreed as well. "'course, it was the Nightmare Moon adventure that enable us to find the Elements of Harmony and unite us all as friends… well, stronger friends."

The other ponies agreed with that and giggled when a popping noise from the fireplace made both Fluttershy and Spike jump a bit.

"So, um, can we open some presents now?" the baby dragon asked hopefully after smoothing down his scales a little and adjusted the red bowtie that Rarity had given to him to wear.

"We each can open _one_ present, Spike, and save the rest for tomorrow," said Sunrise Blossom, and chuckled at his disappointed expression. "Don't worry, you'll have plenty to look forward to in the morning," she promised while they all went to grab one present each from under the tree to give to each other. "Here you go, Spike, and here you go, Twilight."

* * *

Once they all had a present each, they sat down and unwrapped them, exclaiming over what was inside the boxes: Spike had gotten a new winter hat from Rarity; Rainbow Dash had gotten a new pair of flight goggles from Applejack; Fluttershy had gotten a new book on animal care from Twilight Sparkle; Pinkie Pie had gotten a new book of recipes from Sunrise Blossom; Applejack had gotten a new set of tools from Rainbow Dash; Rarity had gotten a new sewing machine from Fluttershy; Sunrise Blossom had gotten a new book about herbs from Twilight Sparkle, and Twilight Sparkle was thrilled to get the latest book from of one of her favorite book series from Sunrise Blossom.

"Oh thank you, Sunny!" Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, hugging her twin. "It's just the copy that I wanted from the _Daring Do_ series."

"I knew that you hadn't had time to preorder the latest book, so that's why I got for you, Twi," her twin replied with a grin. "And if you note on the inside of the cover, it's a signed edition."

"Ooh, even better!" Twilight Sparkle squealed. "I haven't been this excited since our birthday."

Sunrise Blossom chuckled, recalling the birthday party that Pinkie Pie had thrown for them when their parents had gone away on a trip and Shiny Armor had been too busy with his duties to come visit. "Yeah, it was a fun birthday party."

"I'm glad that we're able to spend Hearth's Warming together this time around," Spike remarked and the twins cringed. "Sorry, guess that's still a sore memory."

"Only just a little, Spike," said Sunrise Blossom. "And everything did work out in the end."

"I've been meaning to ask, Sunny," said Twilight Sparkle after putting away her new book to read latter. "What did you do when you were unable to come back to Canterlot to spend Hearth's Warming Eve with the family?"

Sunrise Blossom sighed, recalling the memory like it was yesterday. "That's a rather long story, Twi," she pointed out. "And it doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Oh, come on, Sunny," said Applejack encouraging. "It's a story worth listening to, especially since it's happen on a night like this," she added, nodding to the falling snow outside the window, and it was falling thick.

' _So much for avoiding_ that _particular memory,'_ Sunrise Blossom thought, sighing again. "All right, all right, I'll share the story." And they all settled down around the fireplace once again, having refreshed their drinks and gotten more cupcakes. "Four years ago today, we all were getting ready for Hearth's Warming Eve…"

* * *

 _It was a hectic day in Ponyville as the ponies hurried around with last minute decorations, cooking food, and shopping for presents. In the Apothecary, Sunrise Blossom was busy finishing up some last minute orders for various ponies and packing up an overnight bag with supplies for Rosemary, who would be coming with her to Canterlot for the holidays._

' _Good thing I shipped the presents ahead time,' she thought while mixing up a cleaning solution and pouring it into a bottle that she then capped and presented to Mayor Mare. "Here you go, Madam Mayor, I'm sure that your father will love it."_

" _Thank you for making this, Ms. Blossom," Mayor Mare said gratefully, paying for her purchase before heading out the door, almost running into Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash. "Sorry, girls! Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!"_

" _Happy Hearth's Warming Eve, Mayor," the female ponies replied before shutting the door to keep the falling snow out, and they turned to the orange unicorn, who was magically retrieving her luggage from the top floor, along with her coat, boots, hat, and scarf._

" _Hey, Sunrise, about ready to head out to the train station?" Applejack asked while Fluttershy helped convince Rosemary to go into the cat carrier._

" _Just about," Sunrise Blossom responded, double-checking the bag for her cat. "Yup, I'm all ready to go."_

 _Working together, the six ponies gathered up the luggage, which consisted of a trunk, two smaller bags, and the cat carrier, and headed out, waiting long enough for Sunrise Blossom to lock the door, to go to the train station._

" _Oh, I do wish you both could stay for Hearth's Warming Eve," Rarity told Pinkie Pie and Sunrise Blossom wistfully._

" _I wish I could stay, too," said Pinkie Pie, bouncing along the snow-covered path to the train station, "but I pinkie promised my parents that I would visit them for Hearth's Warming Eve."_

" _And with my dad laid up with a broken leg, this is the only way I can be with my family," Sunrise Blossom added. "I'm sure that next year my family can come to Ponyville and you'll finally meet Twilight."_

 _Rarity nodded sadly. "Of course family_ is _important this time of year," she agreed. "Well, be sure to let me know what the latest fashions are in Canterlot when you get back, Sunrise."_

" _I'll be sure to," Sunrise Blossom promised, and rolled her eyes when Pinkie Pie encouraged her to make it into a Pinkie Promise. "Fine, fine. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a cupcake in my eye." And she pretended to stick her hoof in her eye without actually poking it. "Come on, the train will be leaving soon."_

* * *

 _It wasn't long before they reached the train station, where the train was waiting to take the passengers to their various destinations along its' route, and, after confirming their tickets with the train master, Pinkie Pie and Sunrise Blossom were exchanging goodbyes with their friends when the orange unicorn detected a very faint rumbling sound._

" _What was that?" Sunrise Blossom asked, looking around for the source._

" _You hear something, Sunrise?" Applejack inquired, having gotten used to her friend's sensitive hearing._

 _Sunrise Blossom nodded, looking around as the rumbling noise gradually got louder. "Yeah, I'm just not sure of where – there!" She pointed her hoof toward a floating city made entirely out of clouds, the section that held the weather factory was shaking._

" _What's going on with Cloudsdale?" Rainbow Dash wondered, staring up at the place she'd been born and raised before moving to Ponyville._

" _I don't know, but I can hear that rumbling noise now," said Fluttershy uneasily, "and it's getting louder." No sooner were the words out of her mouth, then both the rumbling and the shaking got worst. "Oh dear."_

 _The six ponies stared up at Cloudsdale, their concern growing as the shaking grew more violent, and then realization dawned on them. "Get to cover! It's gonna blow." And the ponies all fled to find shelter as, sure enough, the smoke stacks on the weather factory sudden exploded and large amounts of snow shot high,_ high _, into the sky before falling down on the land below._

 _Having found shelter in the train station, the six ponies watched with mounting horror as the snow buried the train tracks going both directions, and even piled up around the train, making it impossible for to move. The snow kept falling and it was clear that there wasn't any way for the train to go anywhere, which mean, the ponies were stuck in Ponyville!_

" _How are we going to get to our families now?" Pinkie Pie wondered, upset since she was going to break a Pinkie Promise for the first time in her life._

" _I have_ no _idea," Sunrise Blossom admitted, staring at the unexpected blizzard. "Why would Cloudsdale create a blizzard today of all days?" And she agreed when her friends shrugged. 'This doesn't make sense. Why create a blizzard and prevent travel?'_

* * *

A/N: Unable to go home for Christ- er, I mean Hearth's Warming Eve? How horrible! R&R everyone!


	2. Chapter 2: HOLIDAY BLUES

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Hearth's Warming that Almost Wasn't

A/N: (Dede42 heads to the writers studio to do some writing since she got off work early today, and she opens the door to step inside when a party cannon goes off, spraying her with confetti!)

Dede42: Whoa!

Pinkie Pie: (pops up from behind the party cannon) Surprise! Happy 100th story! (And the gang comes out of hiding to celebrate.)

Dede42: Wow, I thought we were going to celebrate tomorrow, Pinkie.

Pinkie Pie: I know, but what I heard that you've gotten off early from work, I figured we should celebrate today instead! (And she puts a orange party hat on Dede42's head.)

Dede42: Well, it's not every day that you get 100 stories posted on a site, so let's celebrate!

Everyone: Yah! 100th story, hey! 100th story, ha! 100th story hey!

(The part is in full swing and Dede42 finds Sunrise Blossom at the buffet table.)

Dede42: Hey, here to party?

Sunrise Blossom: I sure am, but I'm also worried about Roleplayer98 because he's stressing out about the deleted scenes/bloopers for Season 1.

Dede42: Oh, well you can let him know that he doesn't have to worry about doing any of those for the Sisters' story or the "Return of Nightmare Moon." He can go forward with the other stories I've posted so far instead if he wants to.

Sunrise Blossom: Great idea! I'll let him know after the party and I'll even bring him some cake- Timon! Stop putting bugs in the punch!

Timon: But it'll taste so much better with some bugs in it.

Sunrise Blossom: No it won't!

Dede42: (shakes her head as they continue to argue while Pinkie Pie removes the tainted punch with a fresh bowl all ready.) Here we go again.

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER TWO: HOLIDAY BLUES**

"A blizzard? Why did Cloudsdale produce a blizzard?" Spike asked when Sunrise Blossom paused to take a breath and drink some of her apple cider. "Especially on Hearth's Warming Eve?"

"We were all wondering the same thing, Spike," said Rainbow Dash. "Want me to take over, Sunny?"

Sunrise Blossom shook her head. "No, I can keep telling the story," she replied. "Rainbow's right, we all were wondering why a blizzard was produced by the Cloudsdale's weather factory, and we did get some answers when we all retreated to Town Hall…"

* * *

 _By the time Sunrise Blossom and her friends reached Town Hall, where an emergency meeting was being held in light of the unexpected blizzard, nearly every pony in Ponyville was gathered and demanding answers from Mayor Mare, who was looking on the frazzled side herself. The six ponies managed to make their way through the throng until they were close to the stage, joining Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh, and where the mayor was trying to get every pony to calm down._

" _Please, please, settle down and I will tell you of the message that I just received from Princess Celestia," Mayor Mare requested, doing her best to sound calm and reassuring, but it was obvious that the sudden blizzard had thrown her for a loop, too._

 _Looking around and seeing that the gathered ponies weren't about to quiet down, Sunrise Blossom magically fired off some loud colorful sparks that startled many of the ponies and got their attention. "Please listen to the mayor," she insisted and the crowd finally quieted down._

" _Thank you, Miss Blossom," said Mayor Mare gratefully to the orange unicorn and then she turned her attention to the crowd. "As I said, I have received a letter from Princess Celestia, who is investigating the situation in Cloudsdale to determine the cause of the blizzard that is currently spreading through all of Equestria." She then held up the letter and read from it aloud._

" _Dear ponies of Ponyville. In light of the unscheduled blizzard that has hit our fair country, I regretfully have instructed that the train and other means of transportation should not be used until the blizzard has passed and the snow on the tracks has either melted or has been removed. I know that you all were looking forward to spending Hearth's Warming Eve with your families, and I apologize in advance for this inconvenience. Your royal servant, Princess Celestia."_

" _Oh no," Pinkie Pie moaned. "So much for visiting family."_

" _Yeah," Sunrise Blossom agreed sadly, and they both left with the other ponies, many heading back to their homes to bunker down for the duration of the blizzard, and all excitement for the holiday had vanished._

 _Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Rarity watched their friends go, wondering how they were going to celebrate Hearth's Warming Eve with a blizzard, and what they could do to lift their friends' spirits._

" _I don't know about you three, but I'm heading to Cloudsdale to figure out what happen," said the blue pegasus and she headed outside, only to be blown back in by a gust of wind and snow, and she crashed to the floor. "Ow!"_

" _I don't think flyin' in this weather is a good idea, Rainbow," Applejack pointed out, and earned an annoyed grunt from her friend. "Right now, we need to help Sunrise and Pinkie get their holiday spirits back, and the best way to do it is to do it together."_

 _Rarity nodded. "Hear, hear, I fully agree."_

" _But what can we do with the weather being so bad?" Fluttershy wondered, and she was worried about how the unexpected blizzard would affect her animal friends back at her home._

" _I think I have an idea," said Applejack with a smile. "Come on." And they managed to get outside to get her plan in motion._

* * *

 _After letting Rosemary out of her cage and putting away her luggage since she wasn't going to need it any time soon, Sunrise Blossom got out her diary and began writing in it, putting down how upset she was that she wasn't going to be able to go home and spend time with her family. Once she was done, she put her diary away and got out the book she used to communicate with Princess Celestia._

" _Dear, Princess Celestia," she wrote sadly. "I hope you can figure out what caused this blizzard, and if you have a chance, please inform my family that I won't be able to join them for Hearth's Warming Eve. I wished that I could be with them, but I guess that won't happen this year. Maybe I will be able to spend the holiday with them next year. Your faithful student, Sunrise Blossom."_

 _Signing the page, Sunrise Blossom shut the book and put it away before curling up on her bed, watching the blowing snow through the window, and she quietly cried, letting her cat join her and lick away her tears as they kept coming._

* * *

 _In her room above Sugarcube Corner, Pinkie Pie was moping and writing a letter that she knew she wouldn't be able to deliver, but she felt like writing it anyway. 'I wish we had taken the train sooner,' she thought, sealing away the letter in an envelope. 'If we had, then both Sunrise and I would be with our families right now.'_

 _Pinkie Pie stored the letter away and she flopped onto her bed, feeling dejected and nothing like her usual cheerful self. She sat up when there was a knock on her door, and she went to answer it. Pulling the door open, she was surprised to find a box wrapped in red/green paper, and there was a note lying on top of it._

 _Curious, she opened the letter and read it. "Hey, Pinkie! There's a clue in this box that will lead you to fun!" Intrigued, she quickly unwrapped the box and her expression brightened when she saw that it contained a sun-shaped brooch. "Ooh, I bet I know where to go to find the next clue!" And, stuffing the brooch into her bag, she put on her winter coat before heading outside into the blowing snow._

* * *

 _Sunrise Blossom was dozing on her bed when there was a clattering sound downstairs that woke her up, and she got up to investigate. Reaching the main floor, she checked the main room before heading into her workplace, discovering melting snow on the floor. "Huh?" Positive that she'd locked all the doors, she did a quick search of the room and found a red/green wrapped box on top of the table._

 _Perplexed, Sunrise Blossom was reaching for the box when the backdoor suddenly slammed open and a pink figure was blown inside by the wind, colliding with her. Crashing to the floor, the orange unicorn grunted and then used her magic to shut and lock the door. "Ow, what the-? Pinkie?" she asked, surprised to see the pink pony lying on top of her and covered with snow. "What're you doing here?"_

" _I got a clue in a wrapped present that lead me here!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed, rolling off and shaking off the remaining snow before showing her friend the brooch. "You're the only pony in town I know who has a sun as a part of her cutie mark!"_

 _Sunrise Blossom blinked. "Wow, who gave you that?"_

" _No idea, but whichever pony did give it to me, probably gave you that box right there," said Pinkie Pie, pointing to the box on the table._

 _Intrigued, the orange unicorn summoned the box to her and found that on top was a note lying on top. She read the note first. "Hey, Sunny! There's a clue in this box that will lead you to fun!" she read aloud. "Did you get the same note with your box, Pinkie?"_

" _I sure_ did _!" the pink pony confirmed, excitedly. "Come on! Open the box!"_

 _Chuckling, Sunrise Blossom set aside the note and unwrapped the box, opening to find two brooches, one that was shaped like Pinkie Pie's cutie mark and one that was shaped like three familiar-looking diamonds. "Ooh, it's a scavenger hunt!" she exclaimed, retrieving her coat, scarf, and boots before storing the two brooches in her pockets. "Give you three guesses where we go next, Pinkie."_

" _I already figured it out, so let's go!" Pinkie Pie squealed, and they both headed outside with Sunrise Blossom using a shield to protect them from the snow, wind, and cold._

 _Shortly after they left, the backdoor opened once again and a figure entered the Apothecary, heading toward the spot where Rosemary was sleeping on her pillow._

* * *

"Whoa, wait a minute!" Spike interrupted. "You mean after you both left the Apothecary, some pony entered and stole Rosemary?"

Sunrise Blossom and Pinkie Pie both giggled and they reassured the baby dragon that Rosemary hadn't been catnapped. "Don't worry, Spike, she's still fine and safe."

"But, then who entered the Apothecary after you both left?" he asked, still concerned despite their reassurance.

"If you'll let me continue, Spike, then you'll know for sure," said Sunrise Blossom. "Now where was I? Oh yes…"

* * *

 _Even with the shield spell, it took Sunrise Blossom and Pinkie Pie a bit of time to reach Carousel Boutique, and they were surprised to find the shop unlocked when they tried the front door. After falling inside and shutting the door behind them to keep the snow out, Sunrise Blossom dropped the shield so that they could look around._

" _Rarity, are you here?" she called out while the pink pony went searching around the main floor for the next clue. "Hello? I wonder where she is?"_

" _Don't know, but I found something over here," Pinkie Pie called out from near the containers that held various kinds of gems, and she pulled out another red/green wrapped box with a note on top._

 _Trotting over, they read the note together. "Hey, Pinkie and Sunrise, looking good! Keep following the clues and you'll both get a neat Hearth's Warming Eve surprise!" Setting aside the note, they unwrapped the box and opened it to find two brooches that resembled the cutie marks of Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash._

" _Hmm, I don't know if we can even reach Rainbow Dash's home in this weather," said Sunrise Blossom, glancing out one of the windows at the blizzard still raging with seemingly no end in sight. 'If I hadn't seen this coming from Cloudsdale, I'd think it was the windigos from the legend.'_

" _Yeah, even Rainbow Dash can't fly in this kind of weather," Pinkie Pie agreed, pocketing the brooches. "Maybe she's staying with Fluttershy until the blizzard finally ends," she suggested._

" _That's a good suggestion, Pinkie," the orange unicorn agreed. "Let's go to Fluttershy's place and see if we can find them or another clue."_

" _Ok!"_

* * *

 _It took a few hours, but eventually Sunrise Blossom and Pinkie Pie reached the tree that was Fluttershy's home and, once again surprised to find that the door was unlocked, entered the house, making sure to shut the door behind them. They did a quick search of the house, only to find it empty with no signs of either their friends or the animals that Fluttershy cared for, and they found another wrapped box and note instead near the fireplace._

" _I have a sneaking suspicion that our friends are behind all this," Sunrise Blossom said thoughtfully after they read the note that was encouraging them to keep going with the clues provided._

 _They unwrapped and opened the box to find a second, smaller box with a familiar apple-shaped cutie mark on it. Taking the box with them, they headed back out into the storm, hoping that they could find their way to Sweet Apple Acres without getting lost in the blizzard._

* * *

"Why didn't you just open the second box?" Twilight Sparkle inquired while her twin refilled her cup with more apple cider.

"We couldn't since it was locked and there wasn't a key with it," Sunrise Blossom replied. "And I didn't want to force it open with magic," she added. "So, Pinkie and I figured that we could find the key at our next destination…"

* * *

 _With the blizzard raging around them, Sunrise Blossom and Pinkie Pie weren't sure if they were heading toward the apple farm, toward Ponyville, or somewhere else altogether. Just when they were about ready to give up, the pink pony unexpectedly bounced off the shield when it collided with a section of wooden fence._

" _Owie! Ooh, I think we're getting close," said Pinkie Pie, getting up, and they followed along the fence until they found the opening. "Yippe!" Exchanging hopeful grins, they followed the path up to the house, wondering what would happen next, and whether their friends would be waiting for them inside._

* * *

A/N: What sort of surprise will they find inside? R&R everyone!


	3. Chapter 3: HOLIDAY FUN!

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic: Hearth's Warming that Almost Wasn't

A/N: (Dede42 enters the writers studio with the hope to do some writing while Pinkie Pie is using a supervac to clean up the leftovers of the party from last night.)

Dede42: How's it going, Pinkie?

Pinkie Pie: I'll be done soon. Oh, Sunrise has a question for you.

Dede42: Really?

Sunrise Blossom: (enters the writers studio) Dede42, Roleplayer48 and I are wondering why I'm not in the show originally.

Dede42: (sighs and sits down in her chair) Ok, here's the deal, Sunrise. The reason why you're not in the show originally, is because you're an original character that I brought to life, and I created your entire backstory with help of Roleplayer48 with his fantastic suggestions that are shown in the deleted scenes.

Sunrise Blossom: Oh, that makes a lot of sense now.

Dede42: Glad to be of help.

(Too many balloons get stuck in the muzzle of the supervac and they pop at the same time, scaring Dede42 and Sunrise Blossom.)

Dede42 and Sunrise Blossom: _Pinkie!_

Pinkie Pie: Sorry!

Read, review, and enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything from _My Little Pony: Magic is Friendship_. I just own any and all characters that I just happen create.

* * *

 **CHAPTER THREE: HOLIDAY FUN!**

"Ooh, now we're getting to the fun part!" Pinkie Pie exclaimed happily as she served up more fudge cupcakes. "Well… I should say the _exciting part,_ " she amended, sitting back down.

Sunrise Blossom chuckled and took a sip of her drink before she resumed telling them the story. "Pinkie is right that this is the exciting part," she agreed. "So, we went up the path…"

* * *

 _When Sunrise Blossom and Pinkie Pie reached the front door, she dropped the shield and the pink pony knocked on the door before trying the doorknob, finding that the door was unlocked once again. Exchanging a look, they pushed the door open and entered the house, finding that the curtains were pulled over the windows and the main room was completely dark._

 _Feeling uneasy, Sunrise Blossom was about to light up the room with her magic – when there was a creaking sound and the lights suddenly turned on, revealing their friends, Granny Smith, Apple Bloom, and Big Macintosh standing next to a table filled with holiday presents, food, and party games, and in a fenced off section of the room, Rosemary was enjoying her own dinner in her food dish._

" _Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!" they cheered and gathered around the two stunned ponies, relieving them of their coats, hats, scarves, and boots. "Come on in!"_

" _You guys were behind this scavenger hunt weren't you?" Sunrise Blossom asked while Rarity retrieved the brooches and set them in a box that was next to a second box filled with identical brooches._

 _Applejack nodded. "We sure are," she answered. "After realizing that you both were going to miss out on spending Hearth's Warming with your own families, we figured that you both should still be able to celebrate with your friends, who are practically family when you think about it."_

" _That's fantastic," said Pinkie Pie happily. "So, let's party!"_

 _Laughing in agreement, the ponies gathered around the table to enjoy the food, play games, and they each opened one present before doing more fun games and activities. They party through most of the night until Apple Bloom almost fell asleep in her apple cider, and they all retired for the night._

* * *

 _The next morning, the ponies woke to find the sun shiny brightly on the newly fallen snow, and word quickly spread through the area that the blizzard had broken during the night. After having breakfast, Apple Bloom raised the Equestria flag, and they opened the rest of their presents before heading into town so that Pinkie Pie and Sunrise Blossom could store away their gifts._

* * *

 _After putting everything away and making sure that Rosemary had enough food and water to last through the day, Sunrise Blossom rejoined her friends and they went to town square to take part in the celebration fun. Not long after they arrived, Mayor Mare came out of Town Hall, and she revealed that she had a new letter from Princess Celestia._

" _Dear, ponies of Equestria," she read aloud to the ponies. "I hope you all are having a wonderful Hearth's Warming, and I have discovered the reason for the blizzard that was accidentally released by Cloudsdale yesterday. Due to communication failure, somepony at the factory overloaded the snow releasing machine, and this lead to the blizzard being unleashed all over the land. As I write this, teams of ponies are hard at work to remove the snow from the railroads and the roads so that travel will be possible in the next few days, and once again, I hope you all have a wonderful Hearth's Warming today. Your faithful ruler, Princess Celestia."_

 _The moment Mayor Mare finished reading the letter, the ponies of Ponyville all cheered and they celebrated both for the good news and for Hearth's Warming itself. At one point, a snowball fight was set up, and nearly every pony, Rarity included, took part in the snow battle that left them all exhausted, cold, and very,_ very _happy._

* * *

 _As the sun started to set, the exhausted ponies all returned to their homes to get some rest, having one of the best Hearth's Warming days yet. Sunrise Blossom gave Rosemary some holiday food she picked up during the celebration, wrote a letter to mail the next morning to her family, and then checked her book, finding a message from Princess Celestia that confirmed that her family were disappointed that they couldn't celebrate together, but that they would ship her presents once the transportation situation was resolved, and they all lived the presents she'd sent to them._

 _Smiling, Sunrise Blossom wrote a thank you note to the Princess, made a list of things to do the next day, which would include getting a display case to put her brand new brooches, all shaped like her friends' cutie marks and her own cutie mark, and then she went to bed, feeling very happy despite the blizzard._

* * *

"…and that's the end of the story," Sunrise Blossom said, and flushed when Spike clapped loudly. "Thanks, Spike."

"That was a wonderful story, Sunny," said Twilight Sparkle, hugging her sister. "And I'm glad that things worked out despite the blizzard incident. So, who made those brooches anyway?"

"I made them," Rarity said proudly, and surprised her friends by pulling out a box she'd hidden under the staircase, and opened the lid to reveal seven sets of cutie mark-shaped brooches for her friends. "And I made these for all of you," she added while giving Spike a box full of colorful bowties. "Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!"

"Happy Hearth's Warming Eve!" the ponies replied and they all laughed, clinking their cups together, and they resumed celebrating before heading home for the night, looking forward to celebrating Hearth's Warming the next morning.

* * *

A/N: And that's a wrap for this story. R&R everyone!


End file.
